In the High Court, Mr Justice Alexander Owens addressed post-trial applications in the civil case involving defendant Conor McGregor and applicant Nikita Hand. Following a jury finding that Mr McGregor was liable for the assault of Ms Hand in December 2018, while co-accused James Lawrence was found not liable, the judge issued orders regarding trial materials and damages. Mr Justice Owens ordered Mr McGregor to destroy or return all case materials, including CCTV footage, to his solicitor, citing a real risk of dissemination. He warned Mr McGregor that he does not get another run at the case by throwing out allegations on social media or using surrogates. The judge refused to find Mr McGregor in contempt for his social media posts, stating it would be a distraction. Regarding financial obligations, the court ordered an interim payment of €100,000 in damages and €200,000 towards Ms Hand's costs, with the remainder stayed pending a potential appeal. The matter was adjourned to February 12.
At the Workplace Relations Commission, Wayne Murphy, 47, alleged that the ESB had blacklisted him after a labour dispute nearly twenty years ago, claiming age discrimination in a recent job application. Murphy said a line manager had recommended him for a position, but he was not accepted. He questioned HR about the ages of successful candidates, which were not disclosed. He claimed the ESB had falsified ages, citing a whistleblower who said one candidate was 27, while the ESB's records listed ages 34‑40. Murphy also referenced Facebook posts he said were meant for family, which the ESB's legal team had raised. The ESB's solicitor denied any blacklist and said no prior complaint was known. The adjudicator, Penelope McGrath, closed the hearing with a decision to be emailed.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing in June, Wix Online Platforms Ltd conceded it breached the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 by dismissing Courtney Carey. The adjudicator determined that Ms Carey was fired over social media posts regarding the conflict in Palestine. The WRC subsequently convened a hearing to determine compensation for this unfair dismissal. During the proceedings, Ms Carey was questioned by the company's lawyers about her job search following what her solicitor described as a "very public sacking." She testified that she lost her flat, relied on social welfare, and accepted a lower-paid position as an An Post clerk. Ms Carey stated she felt blacklisted from the tech sector, noting that multiple tweets and LinkedIn posts characterized her as supporting terrorism, which caused potential employers to withdraw offers. The validated procedural stage for this specific matter is a hearing or decision regarding compensation, following the company's admission of the breach.
In a High Court hearing, the court will decide whether Conor McGregor must pay the full costs of a civil rape claim brought by Nikita Hand, who alleges he "brutally" raped her in a Dublin hotel penthouse. Hand's counsel urged the court to award the highest level of costs, citing McGregor's alleged conduct before, during and after the trial, including his post‑trial social media posts and accusations that the court was a "kangaroo" court. McGregor's counsel argued that the costs should remain at the normal level, as he was the losing party, and that post‑trial posts should not be considered aggravating. The case also involves James Lawrence, who was found not to have assaulted Hand. The judge, Justice Owens, described the case as "the most peculiar" he had encountered and will rule on costs after 2 pm today.
Emma Hughes, a social media manager at Dash Container Café, claimed that her employer, Martin McCaffrey, became hostile after she announced her pregnancy in August 2022. She said he criticised her work, ignored her content, and pressured her to continue working during maternity leave. Hughes also alleged that McCaffrey moved a planned event date, criticised her for taking leave, and failed to arrange a replacement. She filed grievances during her leave, resigned in June 2024, and brought a complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998. The WRC adjudicator found no rebuttal from the employer and concluded that Hughes faced gender‑based discrimination linked to her pregnancy. The tribunal awarded her €35,000, equivalent to a year's gross salary, as non‑remuneration‑based compensation for the adverse treatment she endured.
A jury heard "upsetting and difficult" animal‑attack videos taken from the phone of Keith Conlon, a trespasser shot dead on law professor Diarmuid Phelan's farm. The videos, shown to the jury, depict dogs – a lurcher and a terrier – fighting squirrels, mauling a badger, and shaking a dead fox. One clip shows a dog trained to attack a live kitten, with men encouraging the pup to bite. The footage was shared via WhatsApp among Conlon, Kallum Coleman and others. The prosecution argued the videos illustrate a pattern of violent hunting. Phelan, 56, pleaded not guilty to the murder of Conlon, 36, who died from a single gunshot wound to the head. The trial continues with the jury hearing evidence of the shooting and the alleged self‑defence claim. The case remains at the jury stage.
In a civil trial at the Beacon hotel case, Conor McGregor denied that his co‑defendant James Lawrence was a "Patsy" set to take the fall. McGregor told the court he paid for Lawrence's legal fees because Lawrence could not afford them. He claimed the allegations of rape and assault by hairdresser Nikita Hand were false, describing the encounter as consensual, enthusiastic and in multiple positions. McGregor said he was shocked and frightened by social media chatter and that he had given a statement to Gardaí after legal advice. Hand alleges McGregor raped and battered her in 2018, while Lawrence says he had consensual sex with her after McGregor left. Both defendants deny the allegations and are represented by the same law firm. The trial continues with the parties presenting their evidence.
During the sixth day of a civil trial, Conor McGregor took the stand to defend himself against a claim that he had brutally raped and battered Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel. McGregor denied the allegations, stating that he and Hand had consensual sex, describing it as enthusiastic, athletic and vigorous, and that no bruising or distress was evident. He recounted being shocked by social media chatter after the incident and warned the judge to restrain his comments when he made a vulgar remark about Hand. The judge cautioned him to restrain his remarks. Hand, a hair colourist, is seeking damages from McGregor and James Lawrence, who also denies the allegations. The trial will continue the following day before a jury and the judge.
The jury in the trial of barrister Diarmuid Phelan, accused of murdering Keith Conlon on his farm, was sent home for a second day after Judge Siobhan Lankford announced a difficulty because the next prosecution witness was unavailable. Phelan, 56, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Conlon, 36, which occurred on 24 February 2022 at Hazelgrove Farm in Tallaght. The judge said the jury had heard a lot of evidence but not all, and that more would come. She warned the twelve jurors, nine men and three women, against discussing the case or using social media and instructed them to refrain from independent research. The trial, expected to last six weeks, will resume on Monday at 2 pm. The case continues before Judge Lankford and the jury.
A 32‑year‑old man pleaded guilty to raping a woman on 23 August 2020 at his home in County Cork and to possessing child sexual abuse material. The victim, who had met him through social media in May 2020, was present with his young child when the assault occurred. He forced her to kiss, then raped her, covering her mouth and forcing her to masturbate. After the incident he apologized and sent messages to the victim, who later complained to Gardaí. Gardaí found three videos and two images of child abuse material on his phone, which he admitted were sent by a third party. He had no prior convictions. Mr Justice Paul Burns sentenced him to a headline term of seven years for rape, reduced to four and a half years with 12 months suspended, and a concurrent six‑month sentence for possession of child sexual abuse material.
In a Supreme Court appeal, three defendants—Edel Doherty, Kyle Rooney, and Declan Corcoran—argue that they should not have been transferred from the District Court to the Circuit Court after breaching publication restrictions in the Ana Kriegel murder case. The defendants were charged with posting photos and naming the teenage murderers, Boy A and Boy B, on social media. Judge Brian O'Shea originally accepted the cases as minor matters in the District Court, but Judge John Hughes later deemed the offences too serious and sent them to the Circuit Court, where penalties are harsher. The High Court quashed Hughes' decision, and the State appealed to the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court is hearing the appeal, with counsel arguing that jurisdiction was already decided and that revisiting it could cause procedural chaos. The court has reserved judgment.
The High Court extended an injunction that bars four named individuals and unknown persons from entering or interfering with the former Crown Paints factory in Coolock, which is slated to become an asylum‑seeker facility. The injunction, originally issued in July amid violent protests, prohibits trespassing, threatening or intimidating behaviour toward employees or contractors of Townbe Unlimited Company and Remcoll Capital Ltd. It applies to anyone attending the site for violent or intimidating protests against housing foreign nationals. Two defendants, Kevin Coyle and Leon Bradley, were local election candidates who allegedly posted videos of themselves on the property and claimed to have thrown rocks. Sean Rush is accused of creating a social‑media page inciting riots. A fourth unnamed defendant was served via social media. The court noted that the violence seen in summer has not re‑occurred, but the protest remains unresolved.
The High Court has fixed a trial date of November 19 for a defamation action brought by Cllr Jimmy Guerin against Gemma O'Doherty. Mr Guerin, an independent Fingal County Councillor and brother of the late journalist Veronica Guerin, alleges that Ms O'Doherty defamed him through social media posts and a website video by implying he was a convicted paedophile. Ms O'Doherty, a former Irish Independent journalist, maintains she was referring to her brother, Martin Guerin. In 2019, Martin Guerin pleaded guilty to possession of hundreds of child sexual abuse images and 146 movie files of child pornography, for which he received a two-and-a-half-year suspended prison sentence. During the procedural hearing before Mr Justice Alexander Owens, Ms O'Doherty described the litigation as part of a six-year campaign of harassment. The judge stated he was doing his best to accommodate her schedule but could not create time that did not exist. Ronan Lupton SC, representing Mr Guerin, confirmed the case was ready to proceed. The matter was adjourned to the fixed trial date, where a judge and jury are expected to hear evidence for up to five days.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 10 October 2024, the appeal of a 59‑year‑old man convicted of 11 offences against his nine‑year‑old daughter was dismissed. The man had been jailed for 14 years after a Central Criminal Court trial in November 2022, where a jury found him guilty of repeated rape, oral rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, threatening to kill and forcing a child to watch sexual activity. The appeal argued that the trial judge erred by not stopping the trial after the prosecution case, by failing to disclose WhatsApp or Viber communications, by not allowing cross‑examination of the victim's physical examination and by not giving a corroboration warning. Mr Justice John Edwards rejected all these grounds, stating that the trial judge had acted within his discretion and that the evidence presented was sufficient for the jury. The appeal was therefore dismissed, leaving the conviction and 14‑year sentence intact.
A teacher who admitted to a 'once-off' sexual encounter with a former student has failed in a judicial review bid to block evidence obtained by their former partner from being used in a fitness-to-practise inquiry. The teacher, whose identity is protected by court orders, argued that screenshots from their Snapchat account, obtained without consent, were unlawfully gathered and should be deemed inadmissible. The inquiry, conducted by the Teaching Council, follows allegations from the teacher's ex-partner regarding a relationship with the former student, including alleged social media communications. The teacher acknowledged a single sexual encounter post-Leaving Certificate but denied ongoing contact. They claimed the screenshots could have been from a fake account and that their identity was not confirmed in the evidence. The teacher left their school job following the allegations but was not subject to a suspension of teaching registration. The judicial review sought to quash a June 2022 decision allowing the screenshots to be used in the inquiry under the Teaching Council Act, 2001. Mr Justice Conleth Bradley denied the application, stating the disciplinary panel had the authority to admit the evidence and that the exclusionary rule does not automatically apply to evidence obtained by third parties. The judge noted no fitness hearing had occurred, no findings had been made, and no sanctions had been proposed. The matter remains ongoing under the appeal stage.
Tom O'Riordan, a former Aer Lingus captain, has filed a claim with the Workplace Relations Commission alleging whistleblower penalisation and breaches of employment rights. He claims that on a flight from London Heathrow to Dublin three years ago he was exposed to "toxic fumes" that caused chronic fatigue syndrome and brain damage. O'Riordan says he made protected disclosures about fumes and falsification of reports to Aer Lingus management, the Health and Safety Authority, the Minister for Transport, the Air Accident Investigation Unit, the Oireachtas and on social media. He argues that the reduction of his sick pay to 75 % of his salary in January 2024, the withdrawal of sick pay in April, and the disciplinary proceedings that led to his dismissal last month constitute whistleblower penalisation. Aer Lingus, represented by Tom Mallon BL, denies any safety risk and claims O'Riordan defamed the airline, leading to his dismissal.
In a Workplace Relations Commission decision, a hospitality manager who claimed he was subjected to a "constant stream of sexually inappropriate texts" from a senior colleague after a brief flirtation was awarded €45,000 for sexual harassment. The manager, Mr B, joined the firm in May 2021 and reported that Ms A, the financial controller, became flirty in August 2021 and attempted to kiss him in September, which he declined. He said they had two kisses over a three‑to‑four‑week period before he told her it had to stop and denied any relationship. Ms A then sent him repeated sexually inappropriate messages, photographs and videos via WhatsApp until July 2022, despite his clear refusals. Mr B ceased contact and blocked her number. The tribunal found the company's anti‑harassment procedures deficient and upheld the harassment claim under the Employment Equality Act 1998, but found no evidence of victimisation or constructive dismissal. The award was €45,000.
Aaron Brady, already serving a life sentence for the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, was sentenced by the Special Criminal Court to an additional three years for conspiring to pervert the course of justice. Brady admitted responsibility for recording a video of an interview between Garda officers and witness Ronan Flynn, in which Flynn claimed Brady had admitted to shooting Donohoe three times. The video was later posted on social media, accusing Flynn of "touting" and calling him a "rat." Brady's co‑conspirator, Dean Byrne, aged 31, received a two‑year sentence for persuading a witness not to give evidence. Byrne had been due for release later that year after a 14‑year sentence for aggravated burglary. The judge noted that the offences struck at the heart of the administration of justice but did not involve violence, threats or inducements, and therefore the sentences were reduced from the headline years to the final terms.
Court ruled that Wix Online Platforms Ltd had unfairly dismissed Courtney Carey after her social media posts about the Palestine conflict. The tribunal, hearing under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977, found the dismissal procedurally unfair and awarded Carey €35,000 in compensation. The decision noted that Carey had been out of work for 26 weeks from 23 October 2023, losing €20,000 in earnings, and that a further loss of €18,453.30 would accrue if she remained in her former role until the second anniversary of her dismissal. The tribunal highlighted that Carey had applied for 50‑60 jobs over six months, received no responses, and eventually secured a temporary clerk position at An Post paying €27,697.80 per year, compared with her former €40,000 salary. Wix must appeal by mid‑August.
A 17‑year‑old woman was raped by Geoffrey Kumah, 27, whom she had befriended online. She told the Central Criminal Court that after the assault she felt she had to "act normal" for her own safety. Kumah had sent a friend request on Facebook, communicated via Snapchat, and arranged to meet her at his residence. He raped her after consensual kissing, despite her repeatedly telling him she did not want intercourse and attempting to stop him. The victim's impact statement described her ongoing trauma, her need to seek help from a friend and counsellor, and her fear of further exposure during the court process. The judge, Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, sentenced Kumah to seven years' imprisonment with the final six months suspended, after a headline sentence of eight and a half years. The sentence considered Kumah's lack of prior convictions, family situation, and cooperation with Gardaí. The victim's statement was praised for its eloquence and bravery.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, the Dublin‑based rental company Itzig Sarl was ordered to pay €2,032 in compensation to former showing agent Dunia Rojas. Rojas began work in October 2023, initially under the impression she would receive a salary, but was later told the role was commission‑only. She reported that she received no payment for the first two weeks, and subsequent payments were incorrect. Rojas documented her complaints with calls and WhatsApp chats, yet the company failed to respond to her queries and did not provide pay‑slips or a contract. Itzig Sarl did not attend the hearing, despite a prior notice. The adjudication officer, Jim Dolan, found Rojas' complaint well founded under the Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994, citing a breach of Section 3, and directed the company to transfer the compensation within 42 days of the decision.
In a High Court contempt case, Mr Noel Martin Senior was found to have deliberately and flagrantly breached a court order that barred him from contacting Alan O'Neill and June Finnegan over a disputed garage. The judge, Mr Justice David Nolan, noted that Martin had sent threatening WhatsApp messages after the injunction, accusing the couple of keeping dangerous animals and threatening to report them to authorities. Martin apologized, claimed a mistake, and agreed not to contact the plaintiffs again. The judge warned that any further intimidation could lead to imprisonment and ordered Martin to pay the plaintiffs' legal costs. The case, which also involves a claim for damages over the garage's ownership, remains pending, with the judge adjourned the matter to October to monitor Martin's conduct. The judge emphasised that Martin's behaviour was personal, vindictive and designed to cause maximum pain to the plaintiffs.
Ann Wilson, 44, of Kilcock, Co Kildare, was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for fraudulently claiming over €35,000 following a staged car crash. Judge Martin Nolan imposed a three-year prison sentence but suspended it in full, citing Wilson's parental responsibilities for her son, who was paralysed in an unrelated accident. Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of dishonestly inducing AXA Insurance to pay personal injuries between February 1, 2013, and July 15, 2014. The incident involved a low-velocity collision at Ballycullen Roundabout on February 4, 2013, where Wilson was driving and her partner, Thomas O'Neill, was an occupant. O'Neill, 47, previously pleaded guilty to one count of deception and was jailed for two years as an "active participant" in the scheme. Deirdre Mellor, 54, O'Neill's sister and a passenger in the other vehicle, pleaded guilty to attempted deception and previously received a suspended two-year prison sentence; she did not proceed with an insurance claim as it was statute-barred. AXA Insurance identified the parties as connected via social media during its investigation. Wilson received €21,595 for herself, €550 for material damages, and €14,000 for her son in a civil case. The court noted that none of the money was recovered. Wilson has four previous road traffic convictions, while O'Neill has 70 previous convictions, and Mellor has one previous conviction for driving without insurance.
Tech firm Wix admitted it had unfairly dismissed Irish worker Courtney Carey after she posted on social media criticising Israel. Carey, a former manager, says she lost her apartment and has only found lower‑paid temporary work since her dismissal in October. She claims Wix treated her as a supporter of terrorism, citing tweets and LinkedIn posts that she says were false. Her claim under the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 was brought before the Workplace Relations Commission. Wix's lawyer conceded procedural unfairness and said the case would now focus on compensation. Carey's barrister noted her gross pay fell from €40,000 to €25,567 after months of unemployment. The tribunal heard that she applied for about 60 jobs, was denied many, and now works as an An Post clerk on a temporary contract. The hearing concluded with the adjudicator saying she would issue a decision in due course.
During a sixth day of the Workplace Relations Commission hearing, Brendan Ogle's disability discrimination complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998 was heard. Ogle, who returned to work after treatment for throat cancer, accused Unite of failing to provide reasonable accommodation, victimisation and harassment. Senior Unite officer Tom Fitzgerald testified that he was not involved in any plan to remove Ogle. Fitzgerald denied that he had told Ogle that Unite's new general secretary Sharon Graham had directed him to exclude Ogle from a new strategy for Ireland. He said he had no record of such a meeting and that any whiteboard drawings were made by Ogle. Ogle's allegations were based on emails and a Facebook post by his wife. The tribunal will adjourn to tomorrow morning for cross‑examination of Fitzgerald.
In a Workplace Relations Commission hearing, former Unite boss Mandy La Combre testified that her husband Brendan Ogle's Facebook post on 11 September 2022 criticised the union and was intended to pre‑empt "trolling" from council water workers upset over an industrial agreement. La Combre said she feared a repeat of earlier online harassment and wanted to "put it to bed." She claimed Ogle had been "frozen out of staff and activist meetings" and that a move to a reduced role in Dundalk had been attempted. The union's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, had spoken at a conference about "lies" on social media, prompting Ogle to issue legal proceedings against Woodhouse for defamation. Unite's counsel argued that La Combre's post was a "hand grenade" and that the Irish Examiner had published her contact details. The tribunal heard that Ogle's lawyers failed to secure a summons of Unite's general secretary, Sharon Graham, as a witness.
Mark McMorrow, a 27‑year‑old law graduate and former religious youth leader, was sentenced to two‑and‑a‑half years in prison, with the final six months suspended, for defiling and sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl, Sophia Doyle, in Dublin between September and December 2020. McMorrow pleaded guilty to defilement, sexual exploitation and communicating with a child for exploitation. Doyle, now 19, waived anonymity to name him. The court noted McMorrow was 22 when the offences began and that he had been a leader in a faith‑based youth group where Doyle was a member. He had communicated with her via social media and Discord, and had invited her to his home and other locations. Doyle's victim impact statement highlighted McMorrow's position of power and betrayal of trust. The judge imposed conditions preventing McMorrow from contacting Doyle or the Community of Nazareth, and barred him from using Discord. No prior convictions were recorded.
Le Wang, a 42‑year‑old taxi driver from Dundrum, was found guilty of harassing a Chinese student who had rented a room in his house between December 2022 and March 2023. He secretly filmed her twice in the shower and attempted a third time, hiding his phone in a laundry basket. When she discovered the phone, he threatened to ruin her reputation and harassed her for three months, sending threatening texts and attempting contact via social media. Gardaí seized his phone and found the videos, which were deleted and then restored. Wang pleaded guilty and was given a 16‑month suspended sentence, with a ten‑year prohibition on any communication with the victim. He was remanded in custody for two weeks before the verdict and was released thereafter. No prior convictions were recorded.
Paul Lynch, 56, was jailed after a sting operation revealed he had tried to meet an 11‑year‑old girl but was confronted by an adult decoy livestreaming to Facebook. Lynch had sent a picture of his genitals to the decoy and had asked for a naked photo, which the decoy refused, claiming her camera was broken. He had also offered to give her a phone. The court heard Lynch had previously pleaded guilty to attempted meeting of a child for sexual exploitation in 2018, had a 2019 conviction in Northern Ireland for sexual communication with a child, and a 2023 breach of a sex offences prevention order. He also had seven older convictions for theft and fraud. Judge Orla Crowe described the offence as the "most serious kind" and, after taking mitigation into account, imposed a sentence of two years and three months, back‑dated to his first custody in February.
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 14 May 2024, a 45‑year‑old man was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment for threatening to publish intimate images of his former partner, who was in her 20s, on Facebook and to send them to her mother and social worker. The offence, committed in December 2021 after a brief relationship ended in November, involved the man sending the woman a series of Snapchat voice recordings in which he threatened to distribute the material. He pleaded guilty to the charge of threatening to publish or distribute an intimate image with intent to cause harm, a crime punishable by up to seven years. Judge Martin Nolan, after hearing the case, described it as a serious matter and, noting the defendant's remorse and personal circumstances, imposed a custodial sentence of 20 months with the final 10 months suspended.
In a Court of Appeal hearing on 14 May 2024, a 58‑year‑old man, whose name is withheld to protect his nine‑year‑old daughter, argued that the failure to disclose a family WhatsApp conversation during his 2022 Central Criminal Court trial made his 14‑year jail sentence for 11 offences—including rape, sexual assault and threatening to kill—unsafe. His counsel, Garnet Orange SC, claimed the trial judge erred by refusing to stop the trial after the prosecution's case and by not ordering immediate disclosure of WhatsApp or Viber messages that later emerged during cross‑examination of a family member. He also argued the judge should have allowed cross‑examination of the victim's medical examination and issued a corroboration warning. The State, represented by Lorcan Staines SC, rejected these grounds, stating the WhatsApp evidence was "news to everyone" and that no disclosure order was needed. The unnamed 58-year-old was convicted.
Thomas O'Neill, 47, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to one count of deception in a fraudulent insurance claim that involved a staged car crash in Rathfarnham in 2013. The incident, which was a low‑velocity collision between a white Toyota and a Mazda at Ballycullen Roundabout, was orchestrated to obtain more than €35,000 from AXA Insurance. O'Neill, who has 70 prior convictions for road traffic offences and handling stolen property, was an active participant in the fraud. His partner, Ann Wilson, 44, and his sister, Deirdre Mellor, 54, were also involved. Wilson was scheduled for sentencing the following day, while Mellor received a fully suspended two‑year sentence for attempted deception. The court noted that Wilson had received €21,595 in personal injury awards and that no claim was made by O'Neill. The case highlighted the parties' connections revealed through social media and the lack of any personal gain for Mellor.
A female Garda has taken her case to the High Court after she alleged sexual harassment by a male sergeant and claimed she was then victimised by a female superior. She says the sergeant behaved inappropriately at a mortuary, sent her phone a suggestive message, and made sexual comments. She reported this to a female superior, who she says disclosed the complaint to the sergeant. The Garda claims the superior was unhappy with the formal complaint and interfered with the process. The court heard that the sergeant was suspended and the superior stripped of duties. The Garda was later found to have breached Garda discipline for alleged unacceptable conduct with her superior and for posting Garda matters on social media. She appealed unsuccessfully and now seeks to overturn the disciplinary findings, arguing the process was flawed and unfair. The case is set to return to court next month.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Garda Commissioner's appeal against a lower court's refusal to allow a video clip, alleged to contain pornographic material, to be used in a disciplinary investigation against Garda Patrick Hyland. The Court of Appeal had ruled that material obtained under a lawful search warrant could not be used in disciplinary proceedings, reversing an earlier High Court decision that had allowed it. Hyland, who denies wrongdoing, claims he forwarded the clip to a WhatsApp group without viewing it, later realizing it was a clip of a fully clothed male teenager and a female in a potentially suggestive position. The investigation led to a search of Hyland's home, seizure of devices, and a suspension that was later lifted. Hyland sought to prevent further disciplinary action, arguing the use of the material breached his privacy and the 2018 Data Protection Act.
Le Wang, 42, a taxi driver from Dundrum, was found guilty of harassing a Chinese student who had rented a room in his house. Between December 2022 and March 2023, Wang secretly filmed the student twice while she showered and attempted a third time when she discovered his phone hidden in a laundry basket. He threatened her with retaliation if she exposed the videos, sent harassing texts demanding she leave, and repeatedly tried to contact her via social media, culminating in 18 attempts before the harassment ceased on 11 March 2023. Gardaí seized his phone, uncovering the two videos and related screenshots. Wang had no prior convictions, cooperated with investigators, and was described as introverted with a low risk of reoffending. He was remanded in custody for two weeks pending sentencing on 16 May, where the judge will consider the case further.
During the Special Criminal Court hearing, a Mountjoy prison officer discovered a hidden mobile phone inside a sock in a wall cavity of Dean Byrne's cell. The phone, a black Sony, contained a Facebook account named Dean Byrne that had communicated with a relative of Daniel 'Dano' Cahill, a key witness in Aaron Brady's murder trial. Garda Orla Madden retrieved Facebook conversation records showing Byrne's attempts to prevent Cahill from giving evidence, including voice messages urging Cahill not to share his statements and claims that Cahill's testimony was false. Byrne, aged 30, is charged with conspiring with Aaron Brady to pervert the course of justice by persuading Cahill not to testify. The trial continues before Judges Paul Burns, Elma Sheahan and Marie Keane. The article reports only the discovery of the phone and the related communications, without detailing any trial outcome.
In a High Court hearing on 24 April 2024, Mr Justice David Nolan warned Drumgoan Developments Limited and its alleged owners, Noel Martin Senior and Darren Martin, that any breach of the court's undertakings or the temporary injunction would bring "serious consequences." The injunction, granted after Alan O'Neill and partner June Finnegan secured a restraining order, prohibits the defendants from contacting the couple or driving past their home on Edenderry Road, Portlaoise. Mr Justice Nolan noted that the defendants had already breached the injunction when Mr Martin Senior sent a WhatsApp message threatening to report the couple to Tusla for "dangerous unlicensed animals" and demanding the removal of Mr O'Neill's car. The judge described the defendants' conduct as "egregious" and urged their lawyers to convey the gravity of any further breaches. He adjourned the case for a week to allow the parties to discuss a potential arrangement regarding the injunction.
Maurice Boland, 36, of Tallow, Waterford, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to the manslaughter of mechanic Cian Gallagher, who was killed on Barrack Street in Tallow on 10 November 2022. The Central Criminal Court will hear the case tomorrow, with a jury of four women and eight men sworn in by Ms Justice Karen O'Connor. The trial is expected to last two weeks and will rely solely on the evidence presented in court, with no independent research or social media engagement permitted.
A man from Donegal has failed in his appeal against conviction for the repeated rape of a teenage girl in July 2016. The Court of Appeal dismissed all grounds of appeal on 22 March 2024. The man, now aged 29, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the Central Criminal Court in January 2020 after a jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts on four counts of rape at two locations in the county. During sentencing, Justice Tara Burns described his conduct as vile and despicable. The victim, now in her twenties, provided a victim impact statement detailing how the attacks had transformed her from a confident young person into someone struggling with trauma and panic attacks. The appellant's legal team challenged the trial judge's handling of prosecution counsel's closing speech, questioned whether the word "stop" had been shouted during the assault, and objected to the admission of Facebook messages. The three-judge panel, led by Justice George Birmingham, found no merit in any of these contentions and upheld the conviction in full.
A 40‑year‑old man was sentenced to 21 months in prison for a prolonged, vicious assault on his then‑fiancée in December 2022. He pleaded guilty to assault causing harm. The court heard that the couple were engaged and in a long‑term relationship. The attack began after an argument about social media, when the man entered the bathroom, accused her of cheating, and became physically aggressive. He choked her, used his knee against her neck, and repeatedly verbally abused her, calling her a "slut" and threatening to "smash her face in." The assault lasted several hours, during which the victim was held down, knocked to the ground, and forced to lie in bed. She later fled to her mother's house and reported the incident to Gardaí. The man admitted violence, expressed remorse, and cited mental health difficulties.
Leeanda Farrelly (49) was found guilty of publishing a report likely to lead to the identification of a child involved in criminal proceedings after she reposted a photo of 'Boy A', one of the boys who murdered 14‑year‑old Ana Kriégel, in a closed Facebook group on 19 June 2019. The image was posted with text encouraging others to share it. Farrelly removed the post after about 20 minutes but had already attracted police attention. She pleaded guilty in November 2023. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a fully suspended nine‑month sentence, noting that Farrelly's actions were a "self‑appointed judge, jury and executioner" and that she had little regard for the law. The court highlighted that the children were protected under the Children's Act and that the orders prohibiting their identification were in place to safeguard the judicial process.
Patrick McInerney, 40, of Kilkishen, Co Clare, was sentenced to three years' imprisonment, with an 18‑month suspended term, for using information technology to facilitate the sexual exploitation of a child. He had believed he was communicating with 14‑year‑old girls through decoy Facebook profiles set up by a UK group. McInerney sent friend requests, forwarded a photograph of his erect penis, and conducted three video calls in which he masturbated, two via Facebook and one via WhatsApp. The videos were recorded and handed to Gardaí. He also sent a similar image to a woman selling puppies, who blocked him. Gardaí seized and analysed his phone, revealing the offending material. McInerney made full admissions, provided passwords and nicknames, and no longer uses Facebook or a smartphone. The judge noted the obscene nature of the conduct and the possibility of rehabilitation, but affirmed that he deserved prison. The suspended portion is to be served under strict conditions. Patrick McInerney pleaded guilty.
Lukasz Bykowski, 42, of no fixed abode in Dublin, pleaded guilty to one count of harassing a woman on dates in March 2018 while she was working in Trinity College Dublin. The court heard that Bykowski first met the victim in 2014 when she worked in a pharmacy in Navan, where he allegedly became obsessed with her. In 2018, he allegedly sent her unmarked chocolates and flowers on Valentine's Day and later visited her office multiple times, claiming to be her boyfriend and demanding her schedule. Colleagues called security due to his reluctance to leave, and the victim identified him via CCTV. Bykowski was arrested days later. Prosecution counsel stated that Bykowski told gardaí the victim had flirted with him, though she never replied to his social media messages. A victim impact statement noted the harassment had a chilling effect on her confidence and family. Judge Pauline Codd noted the harassment followed previous workplace intrusions and was deeply upsetting. Taking mitigating factors into account, the judge handed down a two-year sentence, which was suspended on conditions, including that Bykowski follow all medical instructions regarding his mental health. Additionally, the court issued an injunction ordering Bykowski to have no contact with the victim for a period of 25 years.
A 53‑year‑old man, Eoghan Peavoy, pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment against a barrister between February 2019 and August 2022. He sent a series of increasingly threatening, vulgar and sexually suggestive text messages, emails, voicemails and WhatsApp messages, including threats of violence and claims of fantasies about killing the victim and her children. He also contacted the victim's father, colleagues and other family members. The victim described living in fear, having to print photos of the man for her childminder and removing her work website to protect herself. Peavoy, diagnosed with schizophrenia, had been involuntarily detained under the Mental Health Act multiple times. At sentencing, a judge imposed a five‑year prison term suspended on strict conditions, directing him to take prescribed medication, remain in inpatient care if discharged, and have no contact with the victim or her family for five years and thereafter.
Keith Redmond, 45, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to attempting to send sexually explicit material to a child between 30 August and 3 December 2022. He had not initiated contact with a fake profile of a 14‑year‑old girl named 'Amber' created by the UK group Volunteers for Predator Exposure, nor had he sought an underage girl. Redmond's profile on the social media platform Kick listed him as a 44‑year‑old male from Ireland. After 'Amber' contacted him, they exchanged 83 typed pages of messages, which began as ordinary conversation but became sexually explicit. Redmond sent four photographs of his penis and discussed meeting 'Amber' for sexual activity, offering to buy her a phone and to live together. The UK group used open‑source technology to locate Redmond and contacted an Irish group, Child Online Protection Enforcers, who located him in Dublin.
The High Court heard that protesters continue to obstruct entrances to a refugee accommodation site in Naas, Co Kildare, despite a temporary injunction granted last week. Gary McCarthy SC, with Barry Mansfield BL, representing the applicant, Total Experience Limited trading as Pastures New Accommodation, told Mr Justice Oisin Quinn that the protest remains ongoing. Counsel alleged that while some protesters left, others erected a campsite at the entrance, preventing larger articulated lorries from accessing the site. The applicant claims the protesters are trespassing and requested to amend proceedings to address this alleged trespass, extend the previous order, and add the names of several identified individuals. The court heard the facility, contracted by the State to provide 985 beds, was scheduled to open this week but remains delayed. No defendants appeared or made representations. Mr Justice Quinn accepted the matter remained urgent and adjourned it to later this week. The applicant also alleged that protesters previously used tactics including human shields and parked cars to block access, constituting a nuisance. The company expressed concern over aggressive social media posts alleging threats of fire and sabotage, noting fears of escalation given previous incidents involving refugee accommodation.
Brendan Ogle is testifying in a Workplace Relations Commission hearing that Unite's former chairman, Tony Woodhouse, defamed him during a 2022 conference by claiming "lies were being told" about the union on social media. Ogle says the remarks were made after his wife, Unite official Amanda La Combre, posted on Facebook about his return to work from cancer treatment, which was reported by the Irish and British press. He alleges Woodhouse's comments were made without naming him and that they were part of a broader pattern of defamation. Ogle has filed a defamation claim against Woodhouse and has been warned not to discuss his evidence with anyone. The hearing is adjourned for the night, with cross‑examination to resume later. The case remains an ongoing complaint under the Employment Equality Act 1998.
Stephen Corbally, a 28‑year‑old hairdresser, was sentenced to 27 months in prison and disqualified from driving for four years after a series of hijackings and vehicle thefts in April 2023. Corbally pretended to test‑drive cars advertised for sale on Facebook Marketplace and Done Deal. On 5 April he drove off a 2008 Volvo after a test drive; on 20 April he took a 2012 Renault from a seller in Mulhuddart, brandishing a kitchen knife while the seller was in the car, and fled the scene. The next day he offered to swap the Renault for an Audi in Carpenterstown, claiming the car belonged to his late mother, and was caught by Gardaí driving the Audi. He had no licence and had been disqualified for 12 years. Corbally pleaded guilty to hijacking, taking a vehicle, dangerous driving and deception.
John Murphy, a 43‑year‑old married secondary school teacher, was found guilty of sexually exploiting a 16‑year‑old girl via Instagram between June 2017 and June 2018 and of possessing child pornography in 2008 and 2010. He pleaded guilty at Wicklow Circuit Criminal Court in July 2023. The Court of Appeal, after reviewing a probation report that highlighted Murphy's hostility to women, medium risk of reoffending, and the serious impact on the victim, ruled that the original one‑year sentence was too lenient. The appeal court doubled the sentence to three years, suspended the final 12 months, and clarified that the effective custodial term is 24 months. The decision was based on aggravating factors such as the prolonged communication, explicit sexual content, and the victim's vulnerability, while mitigating factors like Murphy's lack of prior convictions and cooperation with Gardaí were deemed insufficient to offset the seriousness of the offences.
A 29‑year‑old Dublin man was sentenced to four and a half years' imprisonment, with the final six months suspended, for sexually assaulting his partner's little brother between October 2013 and August 2015. The victim, aged seven to ten at the time, was abused while the man was babysitting him and had gained his trust as a family member. The man pleaded guilty to sexual assault, not rape, after the complainant's description of the assault was deemed "imprecise". He had previously been convicted of intimidating witnesses in the same case, a fact the judge highlighted as relevant. The judge also noted the man's history of threatening to murder the victim and his relatives, including a series of threatening WhatsApp messages to his estranged wife. The sentence was back‑dated to 18 December 2023, and the man was ordered to have no contact with the victim indefinitely.